8 Ways to Improving Workplace Health and Safety

Creating a safe workplace for employees is essential for your business. As a small business owner and employer, you are responsible for keeping your employees safe and improving health and safety. This article will discuss strategies and planning to help improve your workplace health and safety for all employees.

workspace
Photo by Annie Spratt

Have A Safety Plan

The first step in improving the health and safety of your business is creating and following a safety plan. A plan helps keep everyone safe, explains employee and employer rights and responsibilities, and outlines clear steps to follow if something unfortunate like an accident occurs.

A safety plan enables you and your employees to understand the hazards and potential dangers, ensures your employees have the proper training for their jobs, and gives you and your employees’ strategies to keep everyone safe.

Talk To A Safety Consultant

If you need help creating or updating a safety plan for your business, talk to a safety consultant with experience in your industry. They can help review your business and talk you through creating an up-to-date safety plan that reflects your needs.  This consultation can be beneficial for issues such as COVID-19 guidelines or new technology.

Model Safety From the Top

Once you have a safety plan in place, model safe behavior from the top level of management. Health and safety should never be an afterthought but rather a focus and expectation built into the company mandate.

It is crucial that all employees from the floor to the office understand and support the importance of following guidelines and procedures and that everyone is rewarded for safe behavior.

Get Input From Your Employees

Along with reviewing your procedures and input from safety consultants, always get information from your employees. Employees working in your business have experience in the conditions and may have valuable insight into safety procedures and recommendations. Encourage open communication from employees on safety issues and provide up-to-date training to have the tool and expertise to respond to emergencies.

Inspect Your Workplace

As an employer, it is your responsibility to maintain a safe work environment. Conduct regular inspections of your workplace and make a note of any unsafe conditions, broken equipment, or potential hazards. Be sure to look in areas out of the way, such as storage rooms, chemical holding areas, and outside your business. Make sure your vehicles are safe, like your forklift having a rear guard from a Toronto-based company. Ensure equipment is well maintained and that employees have the training they need to do their jobs safely.

Make Sure Training Is Up to Date

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Photo by sol

All workers should be thoroughly trained on and machinery or equipment they use. They should also receive training on any hazardous chemicals or materials that they may come into contact with.

Each job should have clear instructions detailing the steps involved. Even if an employee has the training, upgrades and new equipment models may have different features. Be sure that employees have up-to-date training on all the equipment they need for the job.

Investigate All Accidents

When accidents do happen, follow up with thorough investigations into the incident and what went wrong. Encourage employees to point out safety issues that need addressing, follow up with recommendations, and fix problems emerging, so they don’t happen again.

Keep Accurate Records

Keep thorough records of any workplace incidents, first aid treatment, inspections, and investigations. These records can help you identify a pattern of unsafe conditions and help improve your safety plan. You should also have an up-to-date history of employee training and ensure that it is up to date.

Any workplace incident requires employers to file a report with the WSIB quickly so that employees can access health benefits, like seeing a physiotherapist or a chiropractor in Whitby. You should also keep a thorough record of any incidents in case Peterborough injury lawyer contact you.

It takes everyone, employers, and employees to create a safe working environment. It is essential to ensure a secure workspace and improve your workplace health and safety as a business owner.

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